


in your arms

by maguna_stxrk



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug, Texting, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-19
Updated: 2020-04-19
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:41:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,877
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23730991
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maguna_stxrk/pseuds/maguna_stxrk
Summary: Steve always misses him when he’s away, of course, but the frequency of Steve’s texts today is quite… unusual. Steve would usually send him maybe two or three texts for him throughout the day when he knows that Tony is busy at SI, just little reminders for him to remember to eat or asking when he would be back. Today, though, Steve has been spending an unusually large amount of time on his phone, texting Tony.
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Comments: 9
Kudos: 268





	in your arms

It is one of those rare days where Tony wakes up earlier than Steve. Of course, it’s not by choice. Pepper has insisted for a few days in a row now that it is imperative that he attends the board meeting scheduled at Stark Industries HQ today and that further rescheduling will not be possible. 

If Tony had a say about it, Tony would rather wake up a few hours later, hopefully just in time to rope Steve into a round of lazy indulgent morning sex instead of letting him go for his run. Tony smiles just at the thought of it and gazes wistfully down at his husband’s peacefully sleeping figure, body curled up and leaning into Tony’s side of the bed where Tony had been lying just thirty minutes ago. Tony watches as Steve snuggles closer to Tony’s pillow, unconsciously chasing Tony’s body warmth even in his sleep. Tony snaps his cufflinks into place, letting out a heavy sigh before pulling the comforter to cover more of Steve’s body, keeping him warm. Satisfied, he leans down to plant a lingering kiss on Steve’s temple.

“See you later, sweetheart,” he whispers, before allowing his knuckles to caress Steve’s cheek one last time. When he eventually stands up and pulls away, it is not without considerable effort.

Tony spends the rest of the day in and out of various meetings, just as scheduled, and it is just as physically and emotionally draining as Tony had imagined. Judging from the various texts Steve has sent him throughout the day, Tony supposes Steve hasn’t been coping very well with his absence either, a thought that simultaneously warms Tony’s heart and makes him concerned. Steve always misses him when he’s away, of course, but the frequency of Steve’s texts today is quite… unusual. Steve would usually send him maybe two or three texts throughout the day when he knows that Tony is busy at SI, just little reminders for him to remember to eat or asking when he would be back. Today, though, Steve has been spending an unusually large amount of time on his phone, texting Tony. On the plane heading back to New York, Tony lets himself reread all of the texts Steve has sent him since he left for the Los Angeles SI HQ at the crack of dawn. 

His first text reads:

_ >Have a good day at work, sweetheart. Stay safe. I love you. (5:15 AM) _

Tony’s eyes linger at the timestamp, noting that Steve has woken up much earlier than usual, after about two hours since he left. He usually wakes up at seven for his morning run.

_ >Sorry I wasn’t awake to see you off. (6:13AM) _

_ >Are you on the plane already? (6:30 AM) _

_ >Sweetheart? (6:37 AM) _

**_> hi baby. sorry, just woke up from a nap. still on the plane. (8:21 AM)_ **

_ >Have you had breakfast? (8:21 AM) _

**_> sipping on some coffee as we speak. _ ** _(8:25 AM)_

_ >Eat something, Tony. Not just coffee. (8:26 AM) _

**_> yes, mom. (8:31 AM)_ **

_ >Tony. Please eat something. (8:33 AM) _

**_> jk. munching on a bagel, i promise. gotta go baby, plane’s landing soon. love you. (8:56 AM)_ **

_ >OK, sweetheart. Take care. I love you. (8:56 AM) _

_ >Hi, sweetheart. I hope you’re having a good day. I miss you. (11:13 AM) _

_ >I’m thinking of watching one of the movies from the list you gave me. Do you think I should watch Forrest Gump or The Godfather first? (12:07 PM) _

_ >Darling, have you had lunch? (1:03 PM) _

**_> sorry honey. meeting just finished. (2:32 PM)_ **

**_> happy got me and pep burritos for lunch. what did u have for lunch? (2:32 PM)_ **

**_> also,, do NOT watch the godfather without me!!! (2:33 PM)_ **

_ >Forrest Gump it is. Bruce made lasagna. Wish you were here. (2:34 PM) _

_ >What time are you getting in? (2:37 PM) _

**_> mmm 11/12?? dont wait up, babe. (3:32 PM)_ **

_ >Have a safe flight. Miss you. (3:33 PM) _

**_> miss you more. (4:37 PM)_ **

**_> hey baby i’m on the plane heading back. see u soon! (5:12 PM)_ **

Tony stares at his phone screen, fingers of his other hand drumming a rapid beat on the armrest. Steve just stopped texting Tony entirely after spending almost the entire day on his phone. Tony slips his phone into his pocket and leans back to settle more comfortably in his seat. It’s going to be another long flight back and he’s been dying to get some shut-eye. It’s been a long day.

The last thing Tony sees before sleep takes him away is the sight of cotton-white clouds slowly drifting by.

The second Tony makes it into the Tower’s elevator, he questions Jarvis on Steve’s whereabouts even as he presses the button for the penthouse.

“Captain Rogers is currently showering at the gym, Sir.”

“Showering? At the gym? _At this hour?_ ” Tony glances at his watch. It’s ten minutes past midnight.

Tony cancels the button for the penthouse and goes down to the gym level instead. Sure enough, he hears the sound of the shower running as the elevator doors slide open. Tony sits on one of the benches in the gym and waits patiently for Steve to finish showering. From the corner of his eye, he sees something that confirms his suspicions as to why Steve is down at the gym: Steve’s punching bag hangs still from the ceiling. He gazes thoughtfully at the supersoldier strength-proof punching bag--his own handiwork--and wonders if something is bothering Steve. The evidence so far seems to lead to that particular conclusion. His husband eventually comes out in a white bathrobe, drying his damp hair with a white towel, looking exhausted and grumpy at the same time. It’s a testament to how out of it Steve is that he doesn’t notice Tony’s presence before he speaks.

“Hey, hot stuff. Why the long face?”

Steve’s head shoots up and his hands freeze in their previous motion of drying his hair. He continues to stare at Tony like a deer caught in headlights. Slowly, Steve lets the towel hang around his neck.

“Honey? You okay?” Tony rises from the bench, approaching Steve. 

He makes all of three steps before Steve strides purposefully towards him and promptly lifts him up, bridal style.

“What the-- Steve?” Tony questions, beyond confused. 

Steve looks down at him briefly then makes his way to the elevator, all the while still carrying Tony wordlessly. Steve carries him all the way up the penthouse, into their bedroom, before gently laying him down on the bed.

“Not that I don’t appreciate the grand romantic gesture, baby, but is everything okay?” Tony asks as he scoots back up on the bed, leaning back against the headboard. 

Steve, still silent with his grumpy frown firmly set in place, begins to crawl on the bed towards Tony before planting his head in Tony’s lap, face looking up at Tony. Then, he turns and buries his face in Tony’s stomach.

“Sweetheart?” Tony whispers, still confused even as butterflies fill his stomach at the way Steve curls impossibly closer into him, one of his arms curling around Tony’s back. 

When Steve eventually speaks, he sounds incredibly tired, his voice muffled by Tony’s stomach: “I missed you so much.”

Tony chuckles. “Is that what this is about? I missed you too, honey.”

Steve turns so that now he is looking straight up at Tony, his blue eyes gazing at Tony’s face intently, as if he’s trying to commit every feature into memory. Steve reaches for one of Tony’s hands and plants it in his hair. Tony’s smile widens and dutifully begins carding his fingers through Steve’s blond locks, still damp from shower.

Steve lets out a content sigh, closing his eyes, looking like there is no other place he would rather be, like all is right in his world again. Steve reaches for Tony’s other hand and holds it in both of his, playing with his fingers like they are the most fascinating thing in the world.

“I woke up from a nightmare this morning,” Steve confesses, tracing the lines of Tony’s palm, “about… losing you.”

Tony hums thoughtfully. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Steve tenses, expression darkening as his grip on Tony’s fingers tightens minutely. “We were in a battle and-- You were--” He takes a deep breath and releases it in one slow exhale. 

“You were bleeding out on me. And I tried to stop it-- But there was just too much blood. There was blood everywhere, on you, on my hands, and you were looking up at me but you weren’t _looking_ at me. There was no-- _Life._ In your eyes. I could feel you fading. You were leaving me.” 

Steve sniffs. He swallows roughly before continuing, “It just felt so… real. I woke up from the nightmare and you weren’t there. I could feel myself starting to panic, until Jarvis reminded me that you had to leave for a flight today.”

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you when you needed me.” Tony strokes one of Steve’s eyebrows comfortingly. He has had a few nightmares like that himself and waking up to Steve’s warm weight against him has always been more than comforting. He can just imagine the terror creeping up his body if he woke up from a nightmare about losing Steve--caught between sleep and reality--and Steve weren’t around to counter his demons.

“Sorry for the non-stop texts today. I had to--” Steve swallows before looking up at Tony, eyes searching every corner of his face. He raises one of his hands to cup Tony’s cheek and Tony leans into the touch. “Had to make sure you were okay.”

“Don’t apologize, you know I love it when you text me. Although I did think it was odd that you were texting me so frequently. Why’d you stop texting me then?”

Steve sighs, attention going back to Tony’s calloused fingers. “I tried watching Forrest Gump, but I just felt so… restless.” Steve shakes his head.

“So you headed down to the gym?” Tony guesses.

Steve shrugs. “I knew if I didn’t I would just keep bothering you, so I brought out the punching bag.”

“Poor punching bag,” Tony teases, trying to lighten up the mood. Steve just gazes at him silently, his eyes heavy with emotion, like he’s still trying to convince himself that Tony is right there with him. Alive and well.

Tony smiles, leans down to plant a kiss between Steve’s eyebrows before patting his cheek lightly. 

“Come on! Let’s go to sleep.”

Later--after Tony and Steve have both stripped out of their clothes--they lie close together, pressed skin to skin, Steve burying his face in the crook of Tony’s neck. Tony listens quietly to Steve’s breathing as he traces small circles on Steve’s shoulder.

Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale.

As Steve’s breathing gets slow and steady, just before he falls asleep, he murmurs into Tony’s neck, half-conscious, “Tony… Don’t go, okay? Don’t leave me.”

Tony’s arms tighten around him briefly, strong and reassuring.

“I’m not going anywhere, darling. I promise. I will stay right here, in your arms.”

**Author's Note:**

> Come find me on Tumblr [@maguna-stxrk](https://maguna-stxrk.tumblr.com/) and let's talk all things stevetony! :)


End file.
